Toscana Regional Council includes resolution on Russia in its agenda

June 30, 21:59UTC+3ROMEItaly’s regions of Veneto and Liguria passed similar resolutions earlier, one more resolution on the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions goes on vote in the regional legislature of Lombardy on July 5

ROME, June 30. /TASS/. Regional Council, or legislature, of the Italian region of Toscana has included a resolution on the revoking of European sanctions against Russia in the agenda of the session scheduled for July 5-6, sources at the secretariat of the regional caucus of Lega Nord (Northern League) party told TASS on Thursday.

"The text of the resolution submitted by Lega Nord was coordinated with representatives of other political parties that have seats on the Council, including the Democratic Party that has the majority of seats there," a source said.

"Thus the resolution that urges the regional government to step up actions at all levels so as to facilitate the overpowering the EU’s policy of sanctions and a return to fruitful dialogue is likely to be endorsed by a majority vote," he said.

Italy’s regions of Veneto and Liguria passed similar resolutions earlier, and one more resolution on the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions goes on vote in the regional legislature of Lombardy on July 5.

Unlike in the three other regions, the resolution drafted in Toscana includes a clause of recognizing the right of residents of Crimea to self-determination.

The EU introduced sanctions against Russia in 2014 in the wake of events in Ukraine and Crimea’s reunification with Russia. It has enlarged and prolonged them on a number of occasions since then.

As part of the sanction drive, it suspended talks with Russia on visa-free traveling and on a new basic agreement on cooperation.

Also, it imposed a ban on trips to Europe for a number of Russian officials and froze their bank accounts, along with introducing restrictive measures in trade, finance and the military sphere. All in all, the sanctions lists affected 151 persons and 37 legal entities,

The sectoral sanctions have embraced more than twenty Russian financial, oil producing and defense organizations.

Russia retaliated with sanctions of its on August 7, 2014. Apart from the EU and the U.S., these sanctions also hit Australia, Canada, and Norway.

The countersanctions imposed a van in imports of fruit, vegetables, and dairy products from these countries.

Rough estimates indicate the direct and indirect losses that the policy of sanctions has inflicted on the Italian economy amount to $ 3.6 billion.